Lawn-mower.



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lTFD STATES ATENT OFFICE.

FRED L. ADAMS, OF PROPHETSTOWN, ILLINOIS.

LAWN-MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,357, dated December 23, 1902. Original application filed January 22, 1902 Serial No. 90,886. Divided and this application filed July 11, 1902. Serial To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED L. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Prophetstown, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lawn-Mowers, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a divisional part of the application filed by me January 22, 1902, Serial No. 90,836, and relates to certain improvements in lawn-mowers of that class in which a series of rotaryknives act against a stationary cutting-bar, and has for its principal object to provide means for facilitating the sharpening of the knives or blades of the reel and also the cutting-bar without removing the same from the machine and also without the removal or interchanging'of any of the parts thereof.

When sharpening the cutting apparatus of a lawn or other mower, the machine is usually inverted to bring the fixed cutter into an upright position and emery or other abrasive material and oil or other liquid are supplied to the said cutter and find their way between the stationary and the rotary blades and grind them to an edge. This is generally effected by reversing the motion of the cutting-reel, which is done by changing the ratchets or clutch mechanism by removing the drivingwheels and changing sides with the said ratchets, which cause a reverse motion as the ratchets are made right and left, after which the various parts must be returned to their original positions to rotate the reel in the proper direction for cutting.

The object of this invention is to provide a means whereby so much of this seemingly unnecessary work can be avoided and the clutch mechanism reversed in an instant to change the directions of rotation of the cut- While the essential and characteristic fea- (No model.)

tures of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lawnmower inverted and in position for sharpening the cutting mechanism by reversing the movement of the cutting-reel. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the shaft of the cutting-reel on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the pinions applied to the ends of the cutting-reel shaft. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the plug loosely fitted within the cutting-reel shaft for operating the clutch. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the shaft of the cutting-reel having parts broken away. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the dog or clutch element. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the rod by means of which the clutch is operated. Fig. 11 is a detail view of an end of the shaft, showing the opening for reception of the head of the dog.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The mowing-machine may be of any type or pattern comprising a stationary cutter 1 and a rotary cutting-reel 2, adapted to be driven from the ground-wheels by means of pinions 3 at the ends of the shaft of the cutting-reel in mesh with cog-gearing 4 of the ground-wheels 5.

In accordance with this invention the shaft 6 of the rotary cutting-reel is tubular, and the pinions 3 are loosely mounted upon its end portions and are held in place by pins 7 or any desired securing device. An opening 8 is formed in a side of the tubular shaft near each end and receives a dog or clutch element 8. The dog or clutch element 9 equals in length the outer diameter of the shaft 6, so

as not to project beyond opposite sides of the shaft when turned to a diametrical position, thereby admitting of the cutting-reel turning freely in either direction. The opening 11 constitutes a seat for the head of the part 9. A thimble 12 is slipped into each end of the shaft 6 and extends across a portion of the opening 11 at each end, so as to engage with the arms of the head 10 and limit the inward movement of the dog 9 when passed through the openings 11 and 8. Outward displacement of the part 9 is prevented by the pinion 3 closing the outer side of the opening or seat 11, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4.

A spring rod or bar 13 is located within the shaft 6, and its end portions have connection with the dog or clutch elements 9 at opposite ends of the said shaft. While the connection between the parts 9 and 13 may be effected in any manner, it is preferred to have loops 14 at the ends of the part 13 for the reception of the parts 9, thereby admitting of the ready removal or placing of the several parts in position. This spring rod or bar 13 controls the relative position of the clutch elements 9 with reference to the shaft 6 and the pinions 3 and is adapted to be operated from a point exterior to the shaft in any convenient Way, so as to admit of reversing the clutches when required.

A plug 15 is loosely fitted Within the shaft 6 and is connected with the part 13 for movement therewith. In the construction shown the plug 15 has a longitudinal kerf 16 in a side to receive the part 13, and an end portion of the plug is reduced, as shown at 17, to receive a coil-spring 18, confined between a shoulder of the plug and an inner shoulder or stop of the shaft 6. The plug is mounted within the shaft for rotary and longitudinal movement and is acted upon by the spring 18 to hold the pin 19, applied thereto, in one or the other of the notches 20, formed at the ends of a circumferential slot 21 in a side of the shaft 6. A sleeve 22 encircles the shaft 6 and conceals the slot 21 and notches 20 and is connected with the plug 15 by means of the pin 19. The sleeve 22 constitutes the means for operating the clutch mechanism to throw it into or out of operation or to reverse the direction of rotation of the cuttingreel. The sleeve 22 is moved longitudinally upon the shaft 6 to disengage the pin 19 from either one of the notches 20, and a turning of the sleeve causes the pin 19 to travel in the slot 21 and efiect a shifting of the clutch mechanism so as to reverse the direction of rotation of the cutting-reel when operated. When the sleeve 22 is turned to the limit of its movement in either direction and is released, the spring 18, regaining itself, moves the plug 17 and sleeve 22 longitudinally and causes the pin 19 to enter the notch 20 at the end of the slot 21 to which the pin has been moved, thereby locking the clutch mechanism in the required position.

When the dog or clutch element 9 occupies a diametrical position, the cutting-reel is free to move in either direction; but when the said dog is thrown to one side or the other of a diametrical position its free end is projected beyond the outer side of the shaft 6, so as to engage with the inner side of the pinion and cause rotation thereof in one direction. Rotation of the shaft in an opposite direction causes the gripping end of the dog to move toward a diametrical position and effects a disengagement thereof from the pinion, as will be readily understood. To eifect positive engagement of the dog with the pinion, the latter is formed in its inner side with one or more notches 23, in which the outer end of the dog becomes seated, thereby preventing slipping.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- 1. In a rotary cutter, a tubular shaft having an opening in one side and a seat in the opposite side in the plane of the side opening, a T-shaped dog having its cross-head fitted in the said seat and its opposite end extended into the side opening, a pinion loosely mounted upon the shaft, and means for shifting the dog to cause it to grip the pinion in either direction, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rotary cutter, a tubular shaft having opposite openings in its sides, a T-shaped dog having its end portions located in the said openings, a thimble arranged within the shaft to engage with the arms of the said dog to limit the movement thereof in one direction, and a pinion loosely fitted upon the shaft and clutched thereto by the said dog, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rotary cutter, a tubular shaft, a pinion loosely mounted thereon, a clutch located within the shaft for cooperation with the pinion, a rod located within the shaft and having connection with the said clutch, and means for operating the said rod from without the said shaft to effect a shifting of the clutch, substantially as set forth.

4. In a rotary cutter, a tubular shaft, a pinion loosely mounted thereon, a clutch between the shaft and pinion, a rod located within the shaftand having connection with the clutch, a longitudinally-movable fingerpiece for moving the said rod to shift the clutch, and a locking device for securing the finger-piece and rod in the required position, substantially as set forth.

5.' In a rotary cutter, atubular shaft, a pinion loosely mounted thereon, a clutch between the pinion and shaft, a rod within the shaft and connected with the clutch, a fingerpiece connected with the rod for operation thereof, a spring normally exerting a pressure upon the finger-piece, and means for locking the finger-piece and rod in an adj usted position and held in locked engagement by the aforementioned spring, substantially as set forth.

6. In a rotary cutter, a tubular shaft, a pinion loosely mounted thereon,a clutch between the pinion and shaft, a rod arranged within the shaft and having connection with the clutch, a longitudinally-movable spring-actuated plug arranged within the shaft and having connection with the rod, a finger-piece extended from the plug, and locking means for securing the said plug in an adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

7. In arotary cutter, a tubular shaft, a pinion loosely mounted upon each end portion of the shaft, a clutch between each pinion and shaft, a rod located within the shaft and having connection with the clutches, and means for moving the rod to effect a simultaneous movement of the clutches to throw them either into or out of action or to reverse their position, substantially as specified.

8. In a rotary cutter, a tubular shaft, pinions loosely mounted upon the end portions of the shaft, a clutch between the shaft and each of the pinions, a rod located within the shaft and having connection with the clutches, and a finger-piece having connection with the said rod and adapted to have a rotary and a longitudinalmovement, substantially as set forth.

9. In a rotary cutter, a tubular shaft, pinions loosely mounted upon the end portions of the shaft, clutches between the shaft and pinions, a rod located within the shaft and having connection with said clutches, a spring-actuated plug located within the shaft and having connection with the said rod, and a pin extended from the plug and projected through a slot in a sideof the shaft and adapted to enter one of the notches in communication with the said slot to hold the clutchesin the required position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 40 Witnesses:

G. W. FENN, W. D. SMITH. 

